Roorkee : Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) organizes the Uttarakhand Plastics Summit 2023 in collaboration with the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board on October 10, 2023 at MAC Auditorium. The summit welcomed esteemed dignitaries from governmental and industrial sectors, underlining IIT Roorkee’s unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability. About 250 plus industry representatives from different sectors like Adani Cements, Century Plywood, V-Guard Industries, Exide Industries, ITC, Hindustan Unilever Ltd, Asai Glass Industries, Akums, Luminous Power Technologies, Robotics Automation Solutions, Anchor, etc. attended the event.
The theme of this event was in line with Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a plastic-positive nation. The summit aimed to generate a discussion on the need for industry and academia to work together to fulfil the Extended Producers Responsibility Rules 2022 of the Central Pollution Control Board, which are under implementation now. Under this mandate, industries need to work on recycling and reuse of plastics used by industries by developing innovative technologies.
Prof K K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, was present for the event along with Shri Mihir Bannerji, the Secretary-General of the Plastics Packaging R&D Centre, who was the esteemed chief guest. Furthermore, Shri S.K Pattnaik, Member Secretary, Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board, Dr. Ankur Kansal, Assitant Environment Officer, Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board, Shri Rajiv Bhaskar, Treasurer of the Indian Plastics Institute (IPI), Delhi, Shri Abhishek Rajvansh, Joint Director & Head CIPET-CSTS, Dehradun, Shri Gautam Kapoor, Secretary Bhagwanpur Industries Association, Shri Haringer Garg, Chairman, SIDCUL Manufacturers Association Uttarakhand, are the distinguished delegates from various government agencies and industries who attended the event. It also witnessed participants, faculty members, and startups, including eight unicorns, founded by alumni of IIT Roorkee, exhibitors, staff, and enthusiastic students from ABN School and IIT Roorkee.
Under the TechSarthi scheme, the students of IITR took up the challenge faced by industries in finding suitable recycling facilities as their live B.Tech Project. The students, along with the team of Regreen Ecosystem Pvt. Ltd developed a portal to create an ecosystem for Plastic Waste Producers to connect with Plastic Waste Processors.
Cutting-edge technologies developed by faculty and startups in the IITR Ecosystem were also presented. Some of the technologies are Environment-friendly Biodegradable Substitutes for Single-use Plastics, High-Efficiency Enzymes for Plastics and Plasticizers Biodegradation, Recycling of Mixed Plastic Waste, and Converting Plastic Waste into Wealth. Initiatives like manufacturing paver blocks from plastic waste are in progress, demonstrating how we can turn plastic waste into valuable products, which were displayed during the expo at the summit. These are the technologies developed in the IITR ecosystem which can contribute to the vision of a sustainable environment.
The event is an outcome of the Tech Sarthi Scheme by IIT Roorkee to propose technical solutions for any issues the industries face. The scheme was launched to assist industrial units around the Roorkee region in developing technologies and products that can meet international standards.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, that Earth has enough resources for our needs but not for our greed, Prof K K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, said,
“As we gather here at this summit, I kindly ask each of you to join me in making a pledge today. Let us collectively commit to embracing the principles of the Three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle plastic waste. In this journey towards a plastic-positive environment, let us also strengthen the crucial bonds between Research & Development (R&D), industry, and academia. Together, through innovation and collaboration, we can pave the way for sustainable solutions.”
The Chief Guest for the event, Shri Mihir Banerji, the Secretary-General of the Plastics Packaging R&D Centre, highlighted, “At the individual level, we can take small yet meaningful steps towards achieving this monumental goal of creating a plastic-positive environment. Our efforts are not just for IIT Roorkee, or this state, or our nation, or even the world; they are for the well-being of our future generations, who deserve to inherit a planet where they can cherish the beauty of Mother Nature.”
Shri Rajiv Bhaskar, Treasurer, Indian Plastic Institute, Delhi “Research on plastics holds the key to sustainable solutions, and it’s imperative that we invest in establishing a dedicated graduate center for this purpose. This initiative will not only create R&D opportunities but also nurture the talents and innovators of tomorrow, ensuring a brighter, plastic-positive future.”
Shri S. K. Pattnaik, Member Secretary, Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board said “I believe that through collective efforts and innovative solutions, we can pave the way for a greener and more sustainable future, where plastics coexist harmoniously with our environment.”
Prof. Sai Ramudu Meka, Associate Dean Corporate Interaction, Prof. Vivek Malik, Associate Dean Innovation and Incubation, Mr. Vishal Tiwari, Ms. Shinjinee Mishra, Ms. Chhava Jahnavi, Dr. Mini Namdeo, Mr. Piyush Pandey, Ms. Pooja Thakur, Dr. Sushma Sanasam, Mr. Shivam Goel, Dr. Ajay Jain, and Mr. Vikrant were also present in the event.
